National Republican., 1887-08-20
GEORGE scOvu lE ON REED.
The Broihtrsin Law ana Counsel OF
Guiteau Tafks uf the Case.

ItnNNHH NtNt,
Lawyer George Scovile, who defended
Guteau, was seen to-day at his Office aud
asked about Charley Reed, ex-state's attor-
ney, who has been aajudged insane In New
York. The sun fell aslant through dozen
dusty panes Of glass upon the bare floor Of
an uninvlting and poorly furnished room,
located near the top Of an Adams street
building. The attorney who, with Charley
Reed, fought so hard to prove the insanity
OF Guiteau, does not impress one as pos
sessing the vigor which he displayed on
that occasion. His features show the i'm
print Of time and misfortune, and his voice,
though deep, is a little broken.
Poor Charley Reed |" said he, as he
finished brushing the dust from his shoes
with brush that had about as few hairs as
the top Of his head. ~ would do any thing
for him II could. His collapse is not a
surprise to me. | saw IL coming as far
bnck as the trial Of Guiteau.
ut is all a mistake about his losing any
money In that case. He never spent cent
OF bis own means. Besides his expenses
and the $1,000 which Congress voted him,
be got 81, 200 out OF Guteau himself, while
! only got about 500. During the time of
his incarceration Guiteau made from Sl5 TO
$50 day by the sale OF his autograph and
photograph. l know one day he told me
| ht Duu bdhcu III SOS, huu ~ LuhJ TdIe U0
mado quite little stake. At Washington
Reed'sgreatest trouble was that he wouldn't
work II he could get out Of It.. worked
harder In one day than he did altogether.
He was q convivlal fellow, and his habits
ruined him. l don't know that he con-
tracted any disease, but his continuous dis.
sipation was enough to gradually drive him
crazy. His mind was all right at the trial,
and the dissolution began some time after
UArd. / think now ha mnat ha hnup1aasIy %
iBsane.n
Mr.. Scoville went on to say that the curse
which Guiteau pronounced at the close Of
his trial would not properly cover Reeds
case, because 1t only had reference to the
| prosecution, and not to the defense. When
he stood up and pronounced the crazy pre-
| diction that consigned all those who were
| connected with the prosecution to per.
dition 1t was laughed at as the speech OF a
| crank.
Two weeks later when DIR. Gray, superin.
| tendent OF the Utica insane asylum who
| did more for the prosecution to formulate a
| plausible theory OF Guiteau's sanity than oil
the other experts put together, was shot by
| lunatic whom he considered not danger
| Gus, Guiteau's case was wildly recalled.
From that day.calamities thick and fast be-
fell almost every person who had anything
| to do with Guiteau's conviction and death.
| Besides the fact that the wealthy foreman
| Of the jury became penniless and that four
| Of the jurors soon died, another one be-
| came insane and is now in an asylum. Dis
| trict Attorney Corkhlll met with mis-.
fortune and died within year, while Judge
| Porter, his assistant In the case, lost his
practice, and It is rumored is now 10 an In
sane asylum.
President Arthur refused to grant par
don and bis health foiled; he was beaten for
the presidential nomination, and died.
Mr.. Blaine testified against the crank and
he was defeated for President. John A.
Logan and David Davis were witnesses,
and both are gone. Even the guards who
kept watch over his body lost their post
| tions from trivial causes.
| snow, look at the other side," said Mr..
Scoville. "Dr. Spitzka, who testified tnat
| Guiteau was insane, has risen to fame. DR..
Goddard, superintendent OF the goAern-
ment asylum, Washington, who refused to
be witness for the prosecution because he
thought Guiteau insane, has also become
illustrious."
The speaker glanced at the unpainted
table upon which some pamphlets were
scattered and remarked "0f course any Of
us are liable to have bad luck, but those
who testified against Guiteau seem to have
been picked out from the Others"